Today the majority of telecommunication systems dedicated for transmitting/receiving data or voice information are based on the personal computers or dedicated embedded computer systems. Those computers include one or more interface blocks connected to computer system (processor/control block) via a system bus (for example PCI, PCI express etc.).
PBX (Private branch exchange) can be a example of those telecommunication system. It allows connection between private organization (office, business etc.) to the PSTN (Public switched telephone network). The connection to PSTN or private organization can be via different interfaces includes analog telephone lines, ADSL, ISDN, T1, E1 etc.
Telecommunication systems are playing a very important role today. They allow voice/data connection between plurality clients around the world. Because of telecommunication system role today they have to meet special requirements for quality and robustness. A lot of engineering solutions are using for support those requirements.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,420,963 (Shanhar J. S., et al) describes an apparatus and a process of program testing an ERS (emergency response service) in a telephone-communication environment using processor means. This apparatus allows registering said responses, their processing and mapping a public emergency line to the test location.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,447,160 (Croak M., et al.) offers automating test procedure of EP systems by the injecting a plurality of test signaling error messages.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,630,963 (Ortiz H. B., et al) offers a system for monitoring electrical state of circuits in real time, but don't focus on the robustness of the interface operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,636,503 (Shiran M. G. et al) described communication system intended for serving of client-server architecture and using “watch dog” to detect a hang-up condition, to generate an alarm signal and can likewise reset communication server to avoid the telecommunications switch failure. This reset (reboot) function consequently disconnects all telecommunication interfaces and for example in case PBX will disabling phone service for a large number of users.
This condition when sometimes multiple of lines become physically disconnected may significantly impact the system operation on the next step. The case when all disconnected lines will try to establish connection again can cause overloading (bounce) of communication systems.
This bounce can significantly impact all emergency connections and real time communication.
From another side the time for restoring physical connection and the time for restoring connection on the protocol level is significantly more then the time that communication system needs for self repair or reboot.
Therefore, a need a method and apparatus that allows informing (“saying”) clients about a state of the communication system, keeps all telecommunication interfaces physically connected during communication system internal restart (reboot) due internal failures. It allows preventing an unnecessary physical disconnection of communication interfaces and improving a robustness and quality of service.